Nintendo Patent Reveals Potential Paradigm Shift in Design

[mchapra]

http://kotaku.com/5127251/nintendo-p...hift-in-design

Call it hints 2.0.

Nintendo is working on a gameplay system meant to ease the pain of completing a difficult game, without watering it down so much that it turns hardcore gamers off.

The new system, described in a patent filed by Nintendo Creative Director Shigeru Miyamoto on June 30, 2008, but made public today, looks to solve the issue of casual gamers losing interest in a game before they complete it, while still maintaining the interest of hardcore gamers.

The solution would turn a game into a full-length cut scene of sorts, allowing players to jump into and out of the action whenever they wanted. But when played this way, gamers would not be able to save their progress, maintaining the challenge of completing a game without skipping or cheating. It would also allow players to bring up in-game hint videos and skip directly to particular scenes in games.

While the patent doesn't describe how the automated gameplay (referred to as "digest moving image" in the patent) would be presented to gamers, either as a true cut-scene or as a recorded play-through, it does state that the playthrough will likely come from a game developers playing of the game.

In a game, this new play style would be broken up into three options: Game, digest and scene menu, according to the patent.

Game allows gamers to play the game in the normal way, though they can bring up video hints whenever they get stuck. These hints will appear in a screen that pops up in the top right corner of the screen.

Digest allows gamers to watch a video of a game developers play through of the game, which lays out the storyline and "flow of the scenario" from beginning to the end. At any time a player can press a button to jump into the action of the scene currently being shown. This is done by loading game saves downloaded automatically through a network.

Players will start the scene with the appropriate character attribute boosts and items for that part of the game. Saving is not allowed in digest mode.

The scene menu allows gamers to skip directly to a specific scene to play, without having to watch the digest or load a saved game.

This patent, if implemented correctly, could successfully help gaming make the leap from narrative fun, to something more open-ended and free range, the first real sandbox video game.

Imagine being able to play a game with all of the benefits of characters, story and goals, but without having to spend 10 to 20 hours of your life to enjoy doing so.

Of course, that's the best case scenario. The worst, is that this turns gaming into an interactive cut-scene, removing all of pleasure of achievement from gaming and instead turning it into a glorified demo.

Kind Code [US Patent Office, via NeoGaf]

[Vengeance]

This is semi old news, but whatever. This is complete bullshit. It's basically having someone play the game for you, but you still get the credit, which isn't actually a good thing.

[Dersnap]

Someone already posted this...like a month ago.

[mchapra]

This is semi old news, but whatever. This is complete bullshit. It's basically having someone play the game for you, but you still get the credit, which isn't actually a good thing.

I know but it will help casual gamers get into hard core and hard cores will be happy

[Vengeance]

I know but it will help casual gamers get into hard core and hard cores will be happy

anyone who can't play Mario Kart without someone holding their hand through it shouldn't be playing it at all. and no, hardcore players won't be happy. I don't think anyone would like it when playing RE4 to see "aim for the head" on screen, that would absolutely ruin it.

[Dersnap]

I know but it will help casual gamers get into hard core and hard cores will be happy

lul.

Wii doesn't have any hard core games.

[Nerdysimmer]

I know but it will help casual gamers get into hard core and hard cores will be happy

May I ask HOW will it get them into playing hardcore games when the game is playing itself?

If it were to give out hints, I could understand that. But all the non gamers would do is have the least amount of enjoyment of watching the game play itself rather than having time to watch someone else do it, then to actually have a more complete satisfaction of accomplishing a goal in game.

If the casual player cannot play a hardcore game, there are a few things they can do other than to use the "play itself" button.

1. Watch a more experienced gamer play through and see if you can do it yourself. It'll give you the social aspect of gaming much more satisfaction.

2. Have a player guide you through it. This is what I've done to my older sister who was very interested with Zelda: OOT.

3. Look up walkthroughs online.

4. Don't play at all. If a casual gamer cannot play a hardcore game, then they shouldn't be doing so. It's that simple.


What happened to the days of asking somebody for help if you are stuck? Is that completely obsolete?

[TwistedTinkerToy]

Great, now I can complete Petz Salon with ease.

[YamiGekusu]

i'd rather conquer a ridiculously hard Wii game on my own. kthxbai

[AfterShock]

Great, now I can complete Petz Salon with ease.

I lol'd.

[Geno]

Someone already posted this...like a month ago.

Yeah. I posted this back in January. Old news.

[xIAMHUNTERx]

Great, now I can complete Petz Salon with ease.

Don't talk shit about Petz Salon.